that foreign policy is firmly in control of the white house. but they feel where the defense secretary has sort of a bully pulpit is in funding. you've heard leon panetta coming out time and time again, wailing against the defense cuts, saying they'll hollow out the military, and there is concern, about how forceful, chuck hagel, if he is confirmed will make that case and try to protect the pentagon from what they don't want which is more cuts to the budget. >> chris lawrence at the pentagon, thanks. and my friend are gloria borger here. what struck you in the most with what senator hagel had to say? >> well, i agree with chris. what he was doing is defending the president's world position here. he's making it very clear. he knows they're going to take a look at votes on iran sanctions. he said no one individual vote, quote, statement, defines me. he knows he and the president are going to get criticized on that. the third thing, of course, going back to the enlisted man -- >> sergeant hagel. >> -- sergeant hagel. he said during my 12 years in